Printer logon script doesn't work with Vista

  • Thread starter Thread starter D.P. Roberts
  • Start date Start date
D

D.P. Roberts

Domain/AD environment where dcs are Win2k3 and print server is Win 2000
Server. The following logon script is used to map HP Laserjet 4200/4250
printers:

Set WshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection \\printserver\printername

This works fine on all our XP clients but not on our Vista clients, even
though the printers have been configured with vista drivers on the print
server. When logging on to a Vista client, the printers are not installed
and the following message is displayed:

"To use the shared printer \\printserver\printername, you need to install
the printer driver on your computer. If you do not recognize or trust the
name and location of the printer, do not install the driver."

The user then has the option to Install the driver, but it requires
administrative access to do so (our users are not admins).


Any suggestions?
 
First thing I recommend is upgrading your print server to Win2k3 R2... there
is a new Print Management option which allows deployment of printers through
Group Policy. This has been a huge help for me. You can deploy printers to
various groups of people or various groups of computers. It is quite
flexible.

The best thing about deploying printers this way is that Vista automatically
installs the printer when it sees a change in the GPO.

Otherwise, if you don't want to upgrade, it may be a local security policy
setting disallowing certain users to "Install printers". This should be able
to be set from a GPO also.

Good luck :)
 
Thanks, Matt. We are already deploying printers to groups of people and
computers with Group Policy (via logon scripts configured in GPOs) - are you
talking about something different? If so, where in GP are these settings?
 
Hi again,

I am pretty sure I used this site:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Deploying-Printers-Group-Policy-Windows-R2.html
as a reference to deploy printers...

There is actually a new feature built into Windows Server 2003 R2. The only
script I use in the process is running the Printer Push Connection
executable at login on my XP machines. Vista has this built in and does it
automatically when GP refreshes. It is very nice!

In an environment where printer deployments start getting complex I think it
is great! We deploy the printer through group policy and then physically
deliver the printer to the department requiring it. If we deploy it days in
advance they will already have the printer deployed to their workstation!

It even successfully deploys to Terminal Services servers.

Good luck, keep asking questions if you need :)
 
Matt S said:
Hi again,

I am pretty sure I used this site:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Deploying-Printers-Group-Policy-Windows-R2.html
as a reference to deploy printers...

There is actually a new feature built into Windows Server 2003 R2. The only
script I use in the process is running the Printer Push Connection
executable at login on my XP machines. Vista has this built in and does it
automatically when GP refreshes. It is very nice!

In an environment where printer deployments start getting complex I think it
is great! We deploy the printer through group policy and then physically
deliver the printer to the department requiring it. If we deploy it days in
advance they will already have the printer deployed to their workstation!

It even successfully deploys to Terminal Services servers.

Good luck, keep asking questions if you need :)
Click to expand...

Don't know if you ever fixed this but it just sounds like Vista's UAC that's
causing the problem. If you go into the Local Security Policy in Vista, you
should be able to disable the popup prompt for driver for non-admins.

See Here :-
http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2007/05/04/windows-vista-point-print.aspx
 
Hi D.P. Roberts,

I used the same codes like you to connect to specific printer to print the
job and disconnect the printer. We do not want users to have that printer
connection all the time because this printer has special paper only connected
by running the program. This program works fine with XP window but not Vista
window. Do you have any idea?
 
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